Synagro donates $5,000 to Conley School

Conley Elementary School received a $5,000 donation from biosolids management company Synagro Technologies Inc.'s South Kern Compost Manufacturing Facility. The school will put the money to a variety of good uses, including the purchase of Accelerated Reader Books and Tests for kindergarten through third-graders, according Lisa Kindred, the schools' principal."We also want to purchase one to two Samsung Chromebooks per classroom for the ability to take Accelerated Reader tests in the classroom due to aging technology that we currently have," Kindred said.Synagro's local plant, the South Kern Compost Manufacturing Facility, has given financial support to several not-for-profit organizations including the Taft College Foundation, the Taft Chamber of Commerce, the West Side Parks and Recreation District, and the Kern Tree Foundation."Synagro firmly believes in supporting the communities we operate in," said Clyde Harris, Plant Manager at the Taft facility. Synagro, whose corporate headquarters are in Houston, Texas, operates in 36 states.Kindred said the school would develop a recycling program plan that would include creating a curriculum tied to state standards in third-grade science and Synagro employees have volunteered to assist in recycling-based lessons. The principal said the school also hoped to visit local businesses that recycle their products and teach children what is done with recycled products such as aluminum, glass, cardboard, tires, and waste. Other ideas include creating art with the collected recycled items, an essay contest, and a poster contest sponsored and judged by Synagro employees.Kindred said they hope to tie the ideas into the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) program at Taft College.The Taft location is Synagro's largest biosolids-composting facility. Last month it earned the Silver Level Recognition for its Biosolids Management Program from the Water Environment Federation's National Biosolids Partnership.